February 2018 Global Defence & Security Industry - Military News

Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter successfully lifted (and set down) a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) during a demonstration. Using the single point hook, the helicopter hovered up to 100 feet for approximately 10 minutes while carrying the 18,870-pound vehicle.

According to Tasnim, two missiles of Qadr and Fajr-5 types were put on display during the rallies in Tehran on February 11 rallyes, while celebrating the 39th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The army also displayed the latest version of its short-range, anti-armor missiles, namely Toufan 2-M during the rallies.

Russian Aerospace Forces have performed a successful test launch of new anti-ballistic missile (ABM) at the Sary-Shagan testing range in Kazakhstan, according a statement published on the official website of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

Nexter and Texelis are delighted at today's confirmation by Florence Parly, Minister of Armies, for the attribution of the supply of Lightweight Multi-Role Armoured Vehicles (VBMR Véhicules Blindés Multi-Rôles) for the French Army. The contract went through the “Direction Générale de l’Armement” (DGA) in the presence of Joël Barre, National Armament Director (NAD), and Bernard Barrera, Major General of the land forces.

The army of Azerbaijan has recently received a large batch of new military equipment from Russia, in accordance with the intergovernmental agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. According a statement from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan of February 8, 2018, the new Russian military equipment and combat vehicles were used during training exercises.

The Islamic State has lost control on its territories in Iraq (as well as in Syria). So, German Defense minister Ursula von der Leyen announced on February 12 that her country will switch military support to Iraqi armed forces in fighting against Islamic State by focusing on advice, training, logistics and medical assistance.

According to the newspaper website The Baltic Times, the Minister of Defense of Latvia will sign an agreement with the German Company EuroSpike GmbH to purchase the Israeli-made Spike anti-tank missile. EuroSpike is the prime contractor to market the Spike missile family for European customers.

As announced by the Belgian Ministry of Defense at a press conference in December 2017, the Belgian Air Force launched its air operations in Mali, Serge Van Heertum reports. To complete the tasks of tactical transport and medical evacuation, two of the 18th flight squadron's NH-90TTH “Caiman” (RN06 and RN07) left the Beauvechain base on February 5th.

Last week, India has test launched two types of missiles, the Agni-I Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile and Prithvi-II tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile under the control of the India’s Strategic Forces Command and Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). India’s Strategic Forces Command has performed these test launches as part of its annual military training exercise to test the combat readiness of the Indian Army’s missile forces..

Delicate wording to be found by the Belgian Defense to make Parliament accept the undeniable need to equip the army with drones corresponding to what an increasing number of countries are adopting in the 21st century, namely drones capable of firing missiles.

According to the Defense News website, the Turkish Defense industry would like to develop a local-made air defense system similar to the Isreali-made Iron Dome, a Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) and Very Short Range Air Defense (V-SHORAD) System. Some Turkish media have published that the project of the new Turkish-made air defense system could be named Golden Cage.

United States could deliver this year Javelin anti-tank missile systems to Ukraine according to the Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak. The FGM-148 Javelin is an American-made man-portable anti-tank guided missile and employable fire-and-forget medium-range missile system. It was developed and built by a joint venture formed by American Companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

The United States and allied military forces will upgrade their missile defense capabilities under a $524 million contract modification for production and delivery of Lockheed Martin Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors..

The Czech Defense Ministry plans to purchase 50 new self-propelled howitzers with a budget of $490 million. The Czech army news a new capacity of artillery system fully compatible with NATO standard in terms of caliber, communication and firing range.

Why not in the US like in so many other countries? President Trump has ordered the Pentagon to plan a massive parade of the US armed forces in Washington to demonstrate the country’s military strength. Well, does anybody on Earth have any doubt about it?

In contrast to the trend observed for more than ten years, the French Ministry of Defense will see its budget reach 295 billion euros between 2019 and 2025. This budget effort with no such value in recent history will help stop the slow erosion of the French military capacity.

Team Polaris is displaying its advanced MRZR ® X multi-mode, connected vehicle platform for the first time this week at the AUVSI Unmanned Systems show. As military forces worldwide look to lighten the warfighter’s load now and smartly network vehicles in the multi-domain battlefield in the coming years, the MRZR X provides an evolving, robotics capable, multi-mission platform. In addition, the MRZR X provides worldwide commonality with the MRZRs already in service in the U.S. and more than 30 allied nations.

The Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) research-and-manufacturing corporation, a subsidiary of the Rostec state corporation, has announced that the Russian Army will receive the latest Terminator tank support armored fighting vehicles in the first quarter of 2018.

Oshkosh Defense, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced today that U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) has awarded Oshkosh Defense a firm fixed price requirements contract spanning up to seven ordering years for the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) A2 variant. The initial estimated contract value is $476 million with no cap on the number of vehicles the Army may purchase.

"Drone Mohajer 6, equipped with the smart Qa'em precision-striking bombs and different electro-optical explorers and different warheads, can trace, intercept and destroy the target," Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said, addressing a ceremony to inaugurate the production line of this new UAV.

Considering an assessment that Iran has resumed building a factory for precision weapons in Lebanon, the Israeli army will test the largest paratroop drop in years on the upcoming exercise scheduled for mid-2018.

An Electro Optic System’s (EOS) new production facility has been opened by Defence minister Christopher Pyne in Canberra. Speaking at the official launch ceremony, Mr Pyne said the facility will serve as EOS’ defence products development centre as well as a production support facility for current contracts.

Iveco Defence Vehicles has handed over the last tranche of 62 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV), internationally known as the Light Multirole Vehicle (LMV), to the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA). The handover ceremony was held at Iveco DV Headquarters in Bolzano, Italy, attended by Brigadier General Morten Eggen, Head of Norwegian Defence Material Agency, Land Systems Division.

According to the News AM website, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday February 5, 2018, stated that Russia had accepted Turkey’s proposals regarding the purchase of the S-400 air defense systems, TASS news agency reported. “Russia agreed to Ankara [proposals regarding] both in the price and the deadlines for the supply of anti-missile complexes, as well as in the establishment and transfer of a joint production of technology,” he said. In the president’s words, however, Turkey plans to manufacture its own missile defense systems.

The Defense ministry will negotiate to buy at least 3,000 Spike anti-tank missiles manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems through a government-to-government (G2G) route. This will meet the army’s urgent requirements and fill the gap before the indigenous Nag anti-tank missile system is inducted.

Domo Tactical Communications (DTC) is announcing the launch of our Special Role Radio (SRR). The SRR is designed to meet the requirements of Tactical and Special Operations applications where robust encrypted, tactical mobile communication links are needed to provide enhanced situational awareness.

According to the Indian Newspaper website of The Economic Times, United States has made a proposal to India for the development and production of a new APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) in collaboration with Israeli Companies.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has delivered two Anka-S UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) to the Turkish Armed Forces after acceptances tests. The TAI Anka is a family of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries for the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Belarusian defense industry is developing a new AR-type assault rifle chambered for 7.62x39 (M43) cartridge, according to local media outlets. A prototype of the rifle was presented at a meeting of Belarus' State Military-Industrial Committee (Goskomvoenprom, GKVP). It had no designation; however, the Belarusian media outlets named it ‘the AR-15 assault rifle chambered for the Soviet/Russian 7.62 mm cartridge’.

Oshkosh Defense, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced today that the U.S. Army has placed a $106 million order for 416 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and associated installed and packaged kits. This is the eighth order for JLTVs since the contract was awarded in August 2015.